Poll: Should 2021 fees be due now?

Bowling News

Leagues, County and National organisations are circulating their member clubs with 2021 joining fees and timescales to pay. Is that a reasonable stance to take or does it smack of greed? What have they learnt from 2020, anything?

Richard Pearcey posted a good comment on the earlier item regarding the Veterans League fees structure for 2021. This asked the reasonable question should clubs be paying 2021 fees when there is so much doubt about there being any bowling at all next year. The governing bodies assume that bowling will return to normal levels for the 2021 season, we all hope that they are right, but what if they aren't?

Clubs have started to receive demands for joining fees from the BCGBA, Yorkshire CCGBA and local leagues which include payment deadlines and penalties for not complying. Most of these organisations have a surplus from last year that they failed to spend due to there being no competitive bowling. Can anyone guarantee that there will be a full bowling season in 2021? So why are they trying to replicate that scene which caused so much ill-will between clubs and their organising bodies?

Clubs have their own financial pressures as well. They still have to maintain their green, surrounds and clubhouses and with the threat of no bowling the inevitable shortfall in bowler membership fees their finances are going to be stretched once again when they are still trying to recover the 2020 shortfall. Many clubs cannot survive without income from bar sales which have been almost obliterated and with the likelihood of further reduced income something has to suffer.

Earlier this month the governing bodies announced their membership fees for 2021 with deadline dates and penalties for non-payment by those dates. They were:

BCGBA £35 Yorkshire CCGBA £35 (but £41 if not paying by electronic means)

A club which has to pay their BCGBA and Yorkshire CCGBA fees along with teams joining say a conservative five local leagues is looking at a commitment of over £200, some even more if they have more than one team per league. Isn't it time these parent bodies also took a hit from the fallout from the pandemic. It seems that officer honoraria payments come before club survival in some people's way of thinking.

Let's ask the bowlers what they think about this situation - time for a bowlers poll. Cast your vote and express your views on this subject by joining in the poll below.

If for any reason you find that you cannot access the form below please try this online version.

Once you submit your response there is the option to view all the votes and comments made by other voters. Just scroll up to find the link.